Explore every episode of the podcast This Classical Life

Jess Gillam is joined by Italian-American violinist Francesca Dego to swap some of their favourite music. Francesca has played everywhere from Wigmore Hall to Lincoln Centre New York, and her latest recording of Brahms and Busoni violin concertos with BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dalia Stasevska is out now via Chandos. Today Francesca has brought along music from neglected Finnish composer Helvi Leiviskä and a fiendish 12-tone work from Schoenberg, while I’ve chosen David Bowie’s swansong.

PLAYLIST:

GIOACHINO ROSSINI – ‘Una voce poco fa’ (Il barbiere di Siviglia: Act 1) [Teresa Berganza (mezzo soprano), London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson (conductor)] PETER MAXWELL DAVIES – Farewell to Stromness [Richard Casey (piano)] HELVI LEIVISKA – Orchestral Suite No 2, Op 11 (2nd mvt, Humoresque) [Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Dalia Stasevska (conductor)] DAVID BOWIE - Lazarus JOHANNES BRAHMS – Concerto for violin and cello in A minor, Op 102 (2nd mvt, Andante) [Salvatore Accardo (violinist), Heinrich Schiff (cello), Kurt Masur (conductor), Gewandhausorchester] ARNOLD SCHOENBERG – Phantasy for violin and piano [Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), Joonas Ahonen (piano)] LANKUM – Wild Rover

Produced by Rachel Gill.

Jess Gillam and tenor Alessandro Fisher share the music they love.

Alessandro Fisher is a former member of the BBC New Generation Artist scheme, and a Kathleen Ferrier award winner: a versatile performer equally at home in baroque and romantic opera, or song. His choices today include barbershop quartet, brass band music, and the voice of Fritz Wunderlich. Jess has chosen music by Coleman Hawkins and multi-BRIT Award winner Raye.

Playlist: Schubert: An die Musik, D 547 - Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Hubert Gisen (piano) Coleman Hawkins Quartet: Love Song from ‘Apache’ Fucik: Florentiner March - Grimethorpe Colliery Band Schubert: Wandrer’s Nachtlied, D 768 - Kian Soltani (cello), Aaron Pilsan (piano) Crossroads Barbershop Quartet: That Lucky Old Sun (just rolls around heaven all day) Paul Mealor: Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal - Tenebrae, Nigel Short (conductor) Alain Romans: Quel temps fait-il à Paris (M Hulot’s Holiday) Raye: Worth It

Jess Gillam shares music with composer Laura Cannell, including a sublime Biber Requiem, new music by Kenya Grace, traditional Norwegian fiddle music and a Memphis Soul Stew!

Playlist: Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1; first movement [Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, Lorin Maazel] Kenya Grace - Strangers John Mackey – Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Ensemble [ Timothy McAllister, ASU Wind Ensemble] Sven Nyhus – Fanitullen (The Devil's Dance) Domenico Scarlatti – Sonata in F minor, K. 466 [Vladimir Horowitz] Tarquinio Merula - Ciaccona [His Majesty’s Sackbuts and Cornetts] King Curtis – Memphis Soul Stew Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber - Requiem in F minor - Dies Irae [Gabrieli Consort, Paul McCreesh]

Jess Gillam and harpist Bridget Kibbey share the music they love. Greek saxophonist Alegros Gramma takes us to Morocco while Chick Corea is in Spain. Sol Gabetta plays Haydn, Martha Argerich plays Ravel plus we hear Sophie Hutchings, Portishead, Rachmaninov AND Beethoven's iconic fifth Symphony.

Playlist: Beethoven – Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67; I. Allegro con brio (London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati) Sophie Hutchings - Elysian Days Alegros Gramma – Mousaka Bari Bari (Traditional Gnawa) Haydn – Concerto no. 1 in C major H.7b.1; III. Allegro molto (Sol Gabetta (cello), Kammerorchester Basel, Sergio Ciomei) Portishead – Roads Ravel – Jeux d’eau, M.30 (Martha Argerich - piano) Chick Corea - Spain Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 In C minor Op.18; II. Adagio sostenuto (Vladimir Ashkenazy - piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn)

Jess Gillam chats to composer and producer Toby Young about the music they love. With sparkling chamber music by Paul Hindemith, a heartbreakling aria by Henry Purcell, plus we'll dip into Motown with the Four Tops and spend some time with glorious choral music from Carlo Gesualdo.

Playlist:

Carlo Gesualdo – Ecce vidimus eum, Responsories from 1st Nocturn (The King's Singers) Four Tops - Bernadette Paul Hindemith - Kammermusik Op.24 No.1 for 12 instruments (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly) Henry Purcell - When I am laid in earth, from Act III of Dido and Aeneas (Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev) Tigran Hamasyan – Ancient Observer Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma – Your Coffee is a Disaster Keeno – Nocturne Giuseppe Verdi - Anvil Chorus, from Il Trovatore (Choir and Orchestra of la Scala, Milan, Riccardo Muti)

Jess Gillam and pianist Zeynep Özsuca talk about the music they love. With music by Robert Schumann, Handel, Stevie Wonder and Woodkid.

Playlist: Robert Schumann - Piano Quintet in E flat Major, Op.44; I. Allegro brillante (Jerusalem Quartet and Alexander Melnikov) Woodkid - Iron Brahms - Symphony no. 3 (Op.90) in F major, 3rd movement; Poco allegretto (Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Daniel Harding) Joby Talbot - Ink Dark Moon; III. Allegro vigoroso (Milos, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ben Gernon) Stevie Wonder - Ebony Eyes Bach - Prelude and Fugue in E minor from Book 1 No. 10 BWV 855 (András Schiff) Handel - Rinaldo, HWV 7a / Act 2 "Lascia ch'io pianga" (Magdalena Kozena, Venice Baroque Orchestra, conductor Andrea Marcon) Ferde Grofe - Grand Canyon Suite: Sunset (Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Felix Slatkin)

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and pianist AyseDeniz Gokcin to share the music they love. With passionate and romantic music by Rachmaninov, Chopin and Brahms, the celestial and other worldly sounds of Jennifer Higdon’s Blue Cathedral and Max Richter’s Journey CP1919, plus the powerful empowering force that is Beyonce.

Jess Gillam and opera singer William Thomas share the music that love, from Bach to Billy Joel.

Today we played:

Oscar Peterson – C Jam Blues (Oscar Peterson (Piano), Ray Brown (Double Bass), Ed Thigpen (Drums)) Bernstein – Rumble From West Side Story (Studio Orchestra, Johhny Green) Bach – Ich Habe Genug Bwv 82 No.1 : Aria ‘Ich Habe Genug‘ (Hans Hotter (Bass-Baritone), Geraint Jones (Organ), Sidney Sutcliffe (Oboe), Philharmonia Orchestra, Anthony Bernard) Nitin Sawney – Broken Skin Elgar – Symphony No. 1 In A Flat Op. 55 3rd Mvt Adagio (Sir George Solti, London Philharmonic Orchestra) Michael Nyman - Chasing Sheep Best Left To Shepherds (Michael Nyman Band) Billy Joel – And So It Goes Eric Whitacre – The Seal Lullaby (The Eric Whitacre Singers)

Jess Gillam talks to cellist Eve-Marie Caravassilis about the music that the love, from Handel to Gnarls Barkley.

Today we played:

Handel: Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV46a "Tu del Ciel ministro eletto" (Julia Lezhneva (soprano), Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini) Max Richter: moth-like stars Pt. 14 (Max Richter (piano), Ben Russell (violin), Yuki Numata (violin), Caleb Burhans (viola), Clarice Jensen (cello), Brian Snow (cello)) Rodriguez: Crucify your mind Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 oboes in D minor RV 535 (John Abberger and Washington McClain (oboes), Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon) Josephine Baker: J’ai deux amours Gnarls Barkley: Crazy Dvorak: Rondo Op. 94 (Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), BBC SO, Jiri Belohlavek)

Jess Gillam and pianist Anna Tsybuleva talk about the music they love - with works by Vivaldi, Led Zeppelin, Beethoven and Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Jess Gillam talks to composer and pianist Martin Kohlstedt about the music they love - with music from Bartók, Radiohead, Chopin and Dusty Springfield.

Today we played...

George Walker – Lyric for Strings (London Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman) Natureboy Flako - Gelis Caroline Shaw – Its Motion Keeps (Caroline Shaw, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Dianne Berkun Menaker) Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne No. 19 in E minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (Arthur Rubinstein) Dusty Springfield – The Look of Love John Tavener – Funeral Canticle (The Academy of Ancient Music, Paul Goodwin) Radiohead – Codex Béla Bartók - Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119, 2nd mvt - Andante Religioso (Géza Anda, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ferenc Fricsay)

Jess Gillam talks to contralto Jess Dandy about the music they love, from Wagner to The Waterboys and including folk music from Ireland and Argentina.

Today we played...

Wagner - Gotterdammerung, WWV 86D / Act 3: Fliegt heim, ihr Raben! (Birgit Nilsson, Gottlob Frick, Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti) Ibert - The Deserted House (Peter Katin) Mercedes Sosa - Gracias A La Vida Frank Waxman A Place in the Sun – Suite (London Symphony Orchestra, John Williams) Lankum - The Wild Rover Göran Fröst - (Martin Fröst, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra) Deep Listening Band - Lear (Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster, Panaiotis) The Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon

Jess Gillam is joined by composer, pianist, and violinist Poppy Ackroyd to share the music they love, including Debussy, Brad Mehldau and Radiohead.

This we we played... Debussy –Jardins sous la pluie (Jean-Yves Thibaudet) Brad Medlhau – When it Rains Origamibiro - Vitreous detachment Prokofiev – Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major Op.19: II. Scherzo: Vivacissimo (Hilary Hahn, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Mikko Franc) Schubert - String Quintet in C Major, D.956; II. Adagio (Quatuor Ebene, Gautier Capucon) Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On John Williams – Hedwig’s Theme (London Symphony Orchestra, John Williams) Radiohead – Reckoner

Jess Gillam is joined by Norwegian soprano and Last Night of the Proms star Lise Davidsen for a very Christmassy edition of This Classical Life. They share their favourite Christmas music and chat about what gives them that festive feeling!

Lise Davidsen has been described as “the greatest soprano in the world right now”, with a “one-in-a-million voice”. Her performance at the Last Night of the Proms 2023 received rave reviews, and she has sung at iconic venues including the Metropolitan Opera House, Royal Opera House, and Teatro alla Scala, Milan. And she’s just released a whole album of seasonal favourites and Nordic delights via Decca, called Christmas From Norway.

Lise brings along a haunting Scandinavian carol, a sugary-sweet soundtrack from a cult Christmas film, and a modern classic from Coldplay. Jess's choices include a traditional English wassail song, a rock'n'roll Rudolph from Chuck Berry, and a Christmas jig from Yo-Yo Ma and Natalie MacMaster.

PLAYLIST:

ADOLPHE ADAM – O helga natt (Adams julsång) [Jussi Björling] NATALIE MACMASTER/ TRAD. FRENCH-CANADIAN - A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel [Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie MacMaster] CHUCK BERRY – Run Rudolph Run KAREL SVOBODA – Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (Three Wishes for Cinderella): Motiv - Einleitung TRAD. ENGLISH – Wassail Song [John Kirkpatrick and friends] SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR – The Forest of Wild Thyme Op 74: Christmas Overture (arr. Sydney Baynes for orchestra) TRAD. SCANDINAVIAN – Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Forever Dwells) [arr. O. Matre for chorus] COLDPLAY – Christmas Lights

Jess Gillam and baritone Benson Wilson share the music they love, including the voices of Johnny Mathis, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Samoan gospel singer Lani Alo.

Today we played…

Copland – Appalachian Spring: Allegro (Leonard Bernstein, New York Phil) Erroll Garner - Misty (Johnny Mathis) Pulp – Common People Verdi – Don Carlos: "O Carlo, ascolta" from Act IV Scene 2 (Dmitri Hvorostovsky, BBC Welsh SO, Richard Armstrong, recorded at 1989 Cardiff Singer of the World final) Interpol – Untitled (from Turn on the Bright Lights) John Rutter – What sweeter music (Choir of King’s College Cambridge Stephen Cleobury, Robert Quinney (organ) Lani Alo – Alo i ou faiva (Lani Alo and Livingston Efu) Poulenc – Double Piano Concerto in D Minor: III. Finale (Mischa Cheung and Yulia Miloslavaskaya (pianos), Giraud Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, Sergey Simakov)

Jess Gillam talks to pianist and composer Rosey Chan about the music that they love, including Mahler, Miles Davis and Eurythmics.

Today we played:

Vivaldi – Orlando finto pazzo, RV 727; ‘Se in ogni guardo’ (Philippe Jaroussky, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi) Mahler - Totenfeier (OAE, Vladimir Jurowski) Miles Davis/Bill Evans - Blue in Green (Miles Davis, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb) Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Francaix - Petit Quartour 1. Gaguenardise (John Harle, Glenn Martin, David Roach, Andrew Findon) Samthing Soweto (feat. Mzansi Youth Choir) – The Danko! Medley Chopin - Nocturne for piano (Op.posth) in C sharp minor [1830] (Vladimir Ashkenazy) Mozart - String quartet No.19 K465 “Dissonance”; 1. Adagio – Allegro (Emerson String Quartet)

Jess Gillam is joined by conductor Ryan Bancroft to share the music they love, with music by Debussy, Aruna Sairam, Caroline Shaw, Joby Talbot and Massive Attack plus a warm hug from Beethoven.

Playlist: Debussy - Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune (Orchestra National de la RTF, Constantin Silvestri) Joby Talbot - Once around the sun; January - A Yellow Disc Rising from the Sea Aruna Sairam – Tillana, Kalinga Nardhanam Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy Leos Janacek – Taras Bulba; 1. The Death of Andri (Vienna Philharmonic, Sir Charles Mackerras) Nina Simone – Strange Fruit Caroline Shaw – Entr’acte (Attacca Quartet) Beethoven - Emperor Piano Concerto no.5; II. adagio (Murray Perahia, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink)

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and pianist Tom Donald to swap tracks they love, including music by Keith Jarrett, Schumann, Stravinsky, big dog little dog and Elton John.

Playlist:

Keith Jarrett - Book of Ways 4 Igor Stravinsky - Infernal Dance from The Firebird (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons) Gustav Mahler - Symphony No 3 in D minor - Part 2 (4th mvt) (Christa Ludwig / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein) J.S. Bach - Goldberg Variations BWV 988: Aria (Murray Perahia) Ross Edwards - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1st mvt) (Dennis Hennig / Queensland Symphony Orchestra / Myer Fredman) big dog little dog - Panorama Elton John - Idol Robert Schumann - Concert Piece for 4 Horns & Orchestra, Op 86 (1st mvt) (Markus Maskuniitty / Martin Schöpfer / Kristofer Öberg / Mónica Berenguer Caro / Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra / Sakari Oramo)

Jess Gillam and soprano Alexandra Oomens share the music they love, including Handel, Janacek and Marilyn Monroe.

Today we listened to...

Handel – Guilio Cesare: Act 3; Da Tempeste (Amanda Forsythe, Apollo’s Fire, Jeanette Sorrell) Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now Elena Kats-Chernin - Memorial Rag (Gondwana Voices, Lyn Williams) Janacek – Glagolitic Mass: VIII. Intrada (CBSO, Simon Rattle) Andrew Bird – Pulaski at Night Philip Glass – Glassworks: I. Opening (Philip Glass Ensemble, Michael Riesman) Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby, lyrics by Bert Kalmar – I wanna be loved by you (Marilyn Monroe, Matty Malneck and His Orchestra) Tchaikovsky – Piano Concert No. 1: 1st mvt Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito (Martha Argerich, Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado)

Jess Gillam and composer and violinist Sasha Scott share the music they love, including Vivaldi, Ligeti, Henriette Renié, and The Prodigy. Sasha Scott was one of the Senior Category winners in the BBC Young Composer 2019 competition.

Playlist:

Witold Lutosławski – Symphony No 4 (Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Antoni Wit) Francis Poulenc – Flute Sonata FP 164 (1st mvt) (Emmanuel Pahud / Éric Le Sage) The Prodigy – Out of Space Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons: Winter (1st mvt) (Pekka Kuusisto / Virtuosi di Kuhmo) György Ligeti – Sonata for Solo Cello (1st mvt) (Miklós Perényi) Henriette Renié – Harp Concerto in C minor (1st mvt) (Emmanuel Ceysson / Orchestre Régional Avignon Provence / Samuel Jean) Brahms – Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat, Op 83 (1st mvt) (Krystian Zimerman / Wiener Philharmoniker / Leonard Bernstein) Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

Jess Gillam and composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman share the music they love including Tchaikovsky, Arve Henriksen, Pan Daijing, Ella & Louis and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Playlist:

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - op.20 Act 2, No. 10 (LSO, Andre Previn) Arve Henriksen - Arco Akropolis Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Let’s Call the whole thing off Pan Daijing – Phenomenon Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique – Un Bal (West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim) Mosseri, Herskedal, Talbot, Marshall - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) Penguin Cafe Orchestra - The Sound of Someone You Love Who’s Going Away and It Doesn’t Matter Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2: II. Andante (Dmitri Shostakovich Jr, I Musici De Montreal, Maxim Shostakovich)

Jess Gillam chats to composer and saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi about the music they love. With music by Heiner Goebbels, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Dinah Washington and Prokofiev.

Playlist: Heiner Goebbels - Suite for Sampler and Orchestra: Courante (Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Peter Rundel) Louise Farrenc - Nonet in E flat major Op.38 for chamber ensemble: 3rd mvt; Scherzo vivace (Consortium Classicum) Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 55; IV. Larghetto (Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda) Dinah Washington - This Bitter Earth Empirical - The Simple Light Shines The Brightest Anna Thorvaldsdottir - In the Light of Air; III. Existence (International Contemporary Ensemble) Toru Takemitsu - Litany: II. Lento misterioso (Kotaro Fukuma, piano) Michael Nyman - Prosperos Magic (from Prosperos Books)

Jess Gillam talks to singer, cellist and composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson about the music they love including Errollyn Wallen, Jill Scott, Barber, and Berio.

Playlist: Errollyn Wallen - Concerto Grosso: 1st mvt (Tai Murray, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Chi-Chi Nwanoku, Chineke!, Anthony Parnther) Caroline Shaw - And the Swallow (The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge, Anna Lapwood) The Abyssinians - Declaration of Rights Samuel Barber - Adagio for strings (New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein) Lucio Berio - Sinfonia: iii. In ruhig fliessender Bewegung (London Voices, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Peter Eotvos) Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 10: 2nd mvt (Liverpool Philharmonic, Vasily Petrenko) Jill Scott - Slowly, Surely

Jess Gillam and composer Eric Whitacre get all Christmassy and share their favourite festive sounds including music from Prokofiev, Darlene Love, Danny Elfman and Nat King Cole.

Playlist: Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije Suite, Op. 60; IV Troika (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi) Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Danny Elfman – What’s This? Ella Fitzgerald – The Secret of Christmas Philip Lawson - Lullay My Liking (The King’s Singers) Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Christopher Bell) Gustav Holst (Arr. Gjeilo) – In the Bleak Midwinter (Voces8) Jacob Collier - In the Bleak Midwinter Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)

Jess Gillam and bassoonist Guylaine Eckersley share their favourite tracks, with music by Abel Selaocoe, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, Laura Misch and a guilty pleasure from Frozen 2.

Playlist: Abel Selaocoe - Ka Bohaleng / On the Sharp Side Pergolesi - Stabat Mater [Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor), Julia Lezhneva (soprano), I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis] Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez - Into the Unknown [from Frozen 2] Rachmaninov - Symphony no 3 [Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nezet Seguin] Vivaldi - Bassoon Concerto in A minor, rv498 [Sergio Azzolini (bassoon), L’Onda Armonica] Laura Misch - Glass Shards Grażyna Bacewicz - Concerto for String Orchestra [Amadeus Chamber Orchestra] Vaughan Williams - Silent Noon (from the House of Life) [Roderick Williams (baritone) , Iain Burnside (piano)]

Jess Gillam and conductor Toby Thatcher share the music they love. With music including Debussy, George Lewis, Bartok, and Sixto Rodriguez.

Playlist: Ella Fitzgerald - Mack the Knife (Live in Berlin) Debussy - La Damoiselle élue (Vikingur Olafsson) George Lewis - Anthem (Wet Ink Ensemble) Vaughan Williams - Symphony No 5 in D major (3rd mvt) Rodriguez - Cause Poulenc - C'est ainsi que tu es (Métamorphoses; No.2) Bartók - Bluebeard's Castle: Door 6 Charlie Chaplin - Smile (Nat King Cole)

Jess Gillam shares music with viola player Stephen Upshaw

Playlist:

Robert Schumann - Marchenbilder Mvt IV [Nobuko Imai, Martha Argerich (pianos) Johann Strauss II – Der Fledermaus; Overture [Carlos Kleiber, Bavarian State Opera] Idjah Hadidjah - Aram Bandung Steve Reich – Mallet Quartet: iii. Fast [Colin Currie group] Orlando – Blood Orange Kurt Weill – September Song [Sydney Bechet] Morton Feldman – Rothko Chapel 5 Florence Price arr. W.G. Still - Dance in the Canebrakes i. Nimble Feet [Chicago Sinfonietta, Mei-Ann Chen]

Jess Gillam and soprano Seljan Nasibli share the music they love. Their selections include Miles Davis, Karayev, Caroline Shaw and Mozart.

Playlist: Alim Qasimov Ensemble and Kronos Quartet – Getme, Getme Bach – Cello Suite No 2: Prelude Mozart – Ah Chi Mi Dice Mai (Don Giovanni) Miles Davis / Gil Evans / George Gershwin – It Ain’t Necessarily So (Porgy and Bess) Kara Karayev- The Seven Beauties Suite (2nd mvt) Caroline Shaw – Is a Rose: No 1, The Edge Prokofiev – Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor (4th mvt) Buena Vista Social Club – El cuarto de Tula

Jess Gillam and guitarist Alexandra Whittingham share the music they love. With music including Goat Rodeo, Eric Whitacre, Celeste and Korngold.

Playlist: Goat Rodeo - Hill Justice Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8 in C Minor, Op.110: II. Allegro Molto (Borodin Quartet) Celeste - Strange Malcolm Arnold: Guitar Concerto, Op.67: II. Lento (Julian Bream & Melos Ensemble) Glazunov - Chant du Menestrel (Rostropovich, Boston SO, Seiji Ozawa) The Impossible Gentlemen – Clockmaker Korngold - King’s Row Eric Whitacre - Sleep

Jess Gillam and harpist Cecilia De Maria share the music they love, with Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air, Grieg's Holberg suite, new jazz sounds from Polar Bear, Dorothy Ashby's Soul Vibrations from Afro-Harping and classic film theme by John Williams.

Playlist: Edvard Grieg - Holberg suite Op.40 vers. for string orchestra: Praeludium (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi) Pierne - Impromptu Caprice (Marisa Robles - harp) Polar Bear - Peepers Wagner - Siegfried's Funeral March (Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer) Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air Dorothy Ashby - Soul Vibrations from Afro-Harping Allegri – Miserere (Tallis Scholars) John Williams - Jurassic Park theme

Jess Gillam talks to mezzo-soprano Stephanie Wake-Edwards about the music they love, including the overture to Mozart's Don Giovanni, Jessye Norman singing Mahler, Lianne La Havas singing Radiohead and Slim Gaillard singing about his Cement Mixer!

Jess Gillam and composer Robert Reid Allan share Glenn Gould playing Brahms, film music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Sufjan Stevens, new music by composer Oliver Leith, and South African soprano Pumeza singing a Scottish song of diversity and inclusion.

Jess Gillam and violinist Caroline Pether share the music they love, including a moving meditation on life in lockdown by Brad Meldhau, Jacqueline du Pre’s stunning take on Dvorak, a musical sunrise from Alice Zawadzki. Caroline also attempts to convert Jess to the joys of Brahms.

Jess Gillam and recorder player Tabea Debus have a virtual lockdown listening party to share the music they love, including Take 6, Joby Talbot, and Johann Bernhard Bach.

Playlist: Johann Bernhard Bach - Ouverture from Suite in E Minor (L’Acheron, Francois Joubert-Caillet) Joby Talbot – Transit of Venus (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Christopher Austin) Michel Legrand -Windmills of your mind (Take 6) Johannes Brahms - Cello sonata no. 1 in E minor Op. 38: 1st mvt Allegor non troppo (Truls Mork , cello; Juhani Lagerspetz, piano) Ugis Praulins - The Nightingale: Tableau VII ‘The Artificial Bird’ (Danish National Vocal Ensemble; Michala Petri, recorder; Stephen Layton, director) Basement Jaxx – Where’s your head at Antonio Sartorio – Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Aria, Quando voglio (Anna Prohaska, soprano; Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, director) Maurice Ravel – Concerto in G Major, 1st mvt Allegramente (Martha Argerich, piano; Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana; Jacek Kaspszyk, conductor)

Jess Gillam and Latvian violinist Roberts Balanas share the music love, including Anna Clyne, Kamasi Washington and Jessye Norman singing Poulenc.

This Classical Life is also available as a podcast on BBC Sounds.

Here's what we listened to today...

Hindemith – Ludus Tonalis (Alena Cherny) Elton John – Bennie and the Jets Anna Clyne – Night Ferry (Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ricardo Muti) Poulenc- Les Chemins de l’amour FP 106 (Jessye Norman, Dalton Balwdwin) Paganini – 24 Caprices Op.1 No. 2 in B minor (Itzhak Perlman) Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110: Allegro molto (Borodin Quartet ) JS Bach – Prelude and Fugue in A Major BWV 864 from the Well-Tempered Clavier (Trevor Pinnock) Kamasi Washington – Final Thought

Jess Gillam and flautist Daniel Shao play each other their current favourite music. Daniel is a versatile musician, at home in the classical repertory with a number of leading orchestras, or performing contemporary music and exploring his Chinese heritage with the group Tangram. Daniel's choices include Britten, Whitney Houston, and music for the flute by Ibert.

Today's choices:

Britten - Dawn from 4 Sea Interludes (BBC Philharmonic, Edward Gardner) Gluck - Dance of the Furies from Orfeo ed Euridice (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) Joanna Newsom - The Book of Right-On Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren Ibert - Flute concerto, 2nd mvt (Clara Andrada, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Jaime Martín) Hildegard of Bingen - Ancient Suite (Martin Fröst, The Adolf Fredrik's Girls Choir) Whitney Houston - Didn't we almost have it all Cleo Sol - 23

Jess Gillam meets composer Owain Park for a virtual lockdown listening party, with music including Prokofiev, Sam Cooke, Kabantu and JS Bach.

Playlist: Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet Suite - Montagues and the Capulets (Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Muti) Judith Bingham - The Drowned Lovers (Tenebrae, Martha McLorinan, Nigel Short) Sam Cooke - A Change is gonna come Copland: Appalachian Spring (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) Rebecca Clarke - Lullaby (Helen Callus - viola, Robert McDonald - piano) Kabantu – Ulidzile! Samuel Coleridge Taylor - Petite suite de concert; III. Un sonnet d’amour (Chicago Sinfonietta, Paul Freeman) JS Bach - St John Passion; Chorus: "Herr, Unser Herrscher" (Polyphony, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Stephen Layton)

Jess Gillam and cellist Sergio Serra share the music they love, including Estrella Morente, Pekka Kuusisto, Stan Getz and CPE Bach.

Playlist:

Merula - Ciacconna and harpsichord improvisation (Il Giardino Armonico) Kurt Weill arr. Richard Rodney Bennett - It Was Never You (Barbara Thompson, The Medici Quartet) Dinosaur - Set Free Sibelius - 5 pieces; no. 1 (Pekka Kuusisto, Heini Karkkainen) Estrella Morente - La Gazpacha, La Repompa, La Tia Concha Eddie Sauter - Pan (Stan Getz) C.P.E. Bach - Cello Concerto in A Major, Wq. 172: II. Largo maestoso (Jean-Guihen Queyras, Ensemble Resonanz, Riccardo Minasi) Tchaikovsky - Symphony no. 5 (Op. 64) in E minor, 4th mvt; Finale (Andante maestoso) (Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Evgeny Mravinsky)

Jess Gillam meets with London based Australian mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean for virtual lockdown listening party, in which they are raving to Rachmaninov, marvelling over the voices of Cape Verde’s barefoot diva and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, whilst also enjoying the other worldly dream pop of Cocteau Twins and Mahler’s humongous ‘Symphony of a Thousand’.

Playlist: Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Nikolai Lugansky, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo) Cesária Évora – Sodade Louis Andriessen - M is for Man, Music, Mozart: Einstein song Schubert – String Quintet in C Major, D.956; I. Allegro ma non toppo (Alban Berg Quartett, Heinrich Schiff) Thom Yorke - Suspirium Tobias Hume (d.1645) - The Earle of Salisbury's Favoret ‘Sweet Musicke’ (Jordi Savall, Hespérion XXI) Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll Mahler – Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major – ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ Part 1 (Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado)

Jess Gillam and horn player Ben Goldscheider share the music they love. Today we have some big, bold and brassy music, in the form of Janacek’s Sinfonietta and Haydn’s ‘Hornsignal’ symphony, the calm and space of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s ‘Good morning Midnight’, and then we are taken up to space by Elton John then to the bottom of the Sea by Elgar.

Playlist: Janacek - Sinfonietta, first movement (Simon Rattle, Philharmonia Orchestra) Pink Floyd - The Great gig in the Sky Beethoven - Violin Concerto, 2nd movement (Isabelle Faust (violin) Prague Philharmonia) Miles Davis - Generique Haydn - Symphony no. 31 in D Major, first movement (Academy of Ancient Music) Jóhann Jóhannsson - Good Morning Midnight (Air Lyndhurst String Orchestra, Anthony Weeden, Jóhann Jóhannsson) Elton John – Rocket Man Elgar – Sea Pictures, Op. 37 IV. Where Corals Lie (Janet Baker)

Jess Gillam welcomes back bassist and flatmate Sam Becker to share some more of the music they love whist in lockdown. This time they choose Britten’s vivid Sea interludes, Pablo Casals’s Song of the Birds and Sam gets all weepy over Mary Poppins feeding the birds!

Playlist: Benjamin Britten - 4 sea interludes – Dawn (Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi) The Platters - Smoke gets in your eyes Pablo Casals - El Cant Dels Ocells (Song of the Birds) (Pablo Casals (cello), Prades Festival Orchestra) Everything Everything - Fever Dream Gavin Bryars - Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet Rimsky Korsakov - Trombone Concerto (Christian Lindberg, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Osmo Vanska) Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins Ravel - Pavane pour une infant (Bertrand Chamayou - paino)

Jess Gillam and percussionist Elsa Bradley chat about the music they love. Featuring the drama of Mozart's Requiem in D minor, Eugen Cicero injecting some caffeine into CPE Bach's Solfeggio, Arnold Bax’s majestic symphonic poem Tintagel. Plus Elsa goes wild in a field, or maybe just her kitchen, to the Warsaw Village Band, and we have a miniature moment of calm from Isobel Waller-Bridge.

Playlist:

Mozart - Requiem in D minor K.626; Kyrie + Dies irae (English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner) Steve Reich – Tehillim: I. Psalm 19:2-5 (Alarm Will Sound) Eugen Cicero - Solfeggio in C minor by C.P.E. Bach (Wq 117 No. 2, H220) La Boheme; Act 1 ‘Si Mi chiamano Mimi’ (Renata Tebaldi, Orchestra Of The Accademia Di Santa Cecilia) Isobel Waller-Bridge - September Warsaw Village Band - Musicians Are a Playin Louis Armstrong - We have all the time in the world Bax – Tintagel (London Philharmonic Orchestra, Osmo Vanska)

Jess Gillam and soprano Ella Taylor have a ‘virtual’ listening party, with music from Prokofiev, Ella Fitzgerald, Bach and Ella’s favourite track by their favourite band tUnE-yArDs.

Playlist: Prokofiev - Symphony no. 1 (Op.25) in D major "Classical", 4th movement; Molto vivace London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev

tUnE-yArDs - Water Fountain

Gordon, Lang and Wolfe - Shelter: Before I Enter Caroline Shaw (vocals), Martha Cluver (vocals), Mellissa Hughes (vocals), Ensemble Signal, Brad Lubman

Ella Fitzgerald - Misty

George Benjamin - Written on Skin - Part one, scene 6 Barbara Hannigan, Bejun Mehta, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, George Benjamin

Marvin Gaye - Abraham, Martin and John

Bach - Double Violin concerto in D minor - 3. Allegro Isabelle Faust, Akademie fur Alte Musik

Beethoven - Last string quartet, version for String orchestra; III. Lento assai - cantante e tranquillo Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic

Jess Gillam and trumpeter Matilda Lloyd chat about the music they love. With works by Tchaikovsky, Charles Ives, Salsa Celtica and Sting!

This week we listened to...

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy) - Kirov Orchestra, Valery Gergiev James MacMillan: O Radiant Dawn - The Sixteen Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question - Orchestra of St. Luke's, John Adams Salsa Celtica: El Agua de la Vida Beethoven: Sonata No 14 in C-sharp minor, Op 27 No 2, ‘Moonlight’; I. Adagio sostenuto - Arthur Rubinstein (piano) Tobias Broström: Dream Variations: III. Déjà vu - Håkan Hardenberger and Colin Currie Sting - Englishman in New York Shostakovich: Piano Concerto in C Minor, Op 35: II. Lento - Largo (live) - Martha Argerich (piano), Sergei Nakariakov (trumpet), Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, Alexander Verdernikov

Jess Gillam talks to harpist Anne Denholm about the music they love. With epic Finnish grandeur from Sibelius and Rautavaara, a genre-blurring concerto by Gabriel Prokofiev and the simple beauty of Carole King’s You’ve Got a Friend.

Music we listened to today...

Sibelius - Finlandia (CBSO, Sakari Oramo) Morten Lauridsen - O Magnum Mysterium (ORA Singers, Suzi Digby) Karl Jenkins - Over The Stone: Double Harp Concerto (Catrin Finch) Carole King - You’ve Got a Friend Einojuhani Rautavaara - Cantus Arcticus Op.61; 3rd mvt; Swans migrating (Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Osmo Vanska) Afro Celt Sound System - Whirl-y-Reel #2 Ravel - Ma mere l’oye, cinq pieces enfantines V. Le Jardin feerique (Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nezet-Seguin)

Jess Gillam and composer Alex Baranowski swap tracks and share the music they love, with Philip Glass Koyaanisqatsi, Yevgeny Kissin playing Schubert, Goldfrapp and Mazzy Star.

Tracks we listened to today...

Philip Glass – Koyaanisqatsi The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, Michael Riesman

Antonio Vivaldi - Nisi Dominus (mvt 1 nisi dominus) Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi

Goldfrapp - Lovely Head

Franz Schubert - Fantasy in C major D.760 (Wandererfantasie) for piano Yevgeny Kissin (piano)

Ravel - Melodies Hebraiques, No1 Kaddisch Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Raphael Wallfisch (conductor) BBC NOW

Mazzy Star - Fade into you

Duke Ellington - Nutcracker Suite; Overture

Francis Poulenc - Concerto for piano and orchestra; 1st movement; Allegretto Alexandre Tharaud (piano) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Jess Gillam meets jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant to swap some of their favourite music. Cécile is a 3 time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer and her music shows off her passion for storytelling and finding the connections between vaudeville, blues, jazz, baroque and folkloric music. She spoke to Jess ahead of her show at London Jazz Festival 2023 and picked some of her favourite voices from Maria Callas singing Puccini to flamenco star Camarón de la Isla and an air de cour by Gabriel Bataille.

Jess brought along a string quartet by Caroline Shaw, a Hollywood inflected Concerto by Korngold and the most beautiful of songs by Aretha Franklin

PLAYLIST:

GABRIEL BATAILLE: Sortés soupirs témoins de mon mártire [Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Annie Dufresne (soprano)] CAROLINE SHAW: Plan & Elevation – v. The Beech Tree [Attacca Quartet] WANDA JACKSON: Funnel of Love KORNGOLD: Violin Concerto, op.35 – 1st mvt [James Ehnes (violin), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey (cond)] ARETHA FRANKLIN: Ain’t No Way PUCCINI: La bohème, Act 4 “Sono andati” [Maria Callas (soprano), Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor), La Scala Milan Chorus & Orchestra, Antonino Votto (cond)] POULENC: Stabat Mater – i. Stabat Mater dolorosa [Cappella Amsterdam, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Estonian National SO, Daniel Reuss (cond)] CAMARON DE LA ISLA: Yo vivo enamorao (Tangos) [Camaron De La Isla (singer), Paco De Lucía (guitar)]

Jess Gillam is joined by jazz guitarist Rob Luft to swap tracks and share the music they love, with music from Bach, James Blake and Billie Holiday.

Saxophonist Jess Gillam is joined by composer Dani Howard, and between them they swap music by Thomas Adès, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Fats Waller.

Track we played today...

Thomas Ades - In Seven Days: iv. Stars - Sun - Moon Nicolas Hodges (piano) London Sinfonietta, Thomas Ades

Toshio Hosokawa - Japanese folksongs: no.2; Itsuki no komori uta (Lullaby of Itsuki) Emmanuel Pahud (flute) Christian Rivet (guitar)

Steve Reich – Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings: I. Fast London Sinfonietta, Alan Pierson

Anna Thorvaldsdottir - In The Light of Air (Existence) International Contemporary Ensemble

Robert Schumann - Fantasiestücke, Op. 73; III. Rasch und mit Feuer Sol Gabetta (cello) Hélène Grimaud (piano)

Fats Waller – Two Sleepy People

Rae Morris - Do it (Acoustic Version)

Satie - 3 Gymnopedies for piano, no.1 in D major; Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano)

Saxophonist Jess Gillam is joined by composer Grace-Evangeline Mason to share music by Mica Levi, Kaija Saariaho and Joni Mitchell.

Today we listened to...

Bach - Cello suite no 1 BWV 1007 - Yo-yo Ma Hans Abrahamsen - Let Me Tell You, Pt.III: I Will Go Out Now - Barbara Hannigan, Symphonie-Orchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Andris Nelsons The Beatles - A day in the life Clément Janequin - Toutes les nuictz Mica Levi – Love (from Under the Skin) Kaija Saariaho - Cloud Trio: I. Calmo, Meditato Joni Mitchell - A Case of You Rimsky-Korsakov - Sheherazade: The Sea and Sinbad's Barque: Largo and Maestoso